


All I’ve Ever Known

by Riddlebird-puff (hobbitpuff)



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friendship, M/M, No Plot, Pre-Relationship, Suit Appreciation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 21:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12756945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbitpuff/pseuds/Riddlebird-puff
Summary: “What costs nothing but is worth everything? Weighs nothing. But can last a lifetime. That one person can’t own. But at least two can share? For fellows and bossoms.”





	All I’ve Ever Known

**Author's Note:**

> This fic may be canon compliant but it is not meant to follow canon. Also, my Oswald is Gotham Oswald but a little less cute and his disability is more pronounced.

Oswald stretches up, careful not to touch the other man in front of him. He attempts to control the tremor in his traitorous hands as he knots the delicate material between his fingers. He has never done this for another, and both his angle and the other's height makes it more difficult than he had anticipated, he feels hands cover his own.

The simple touch makes Oswald start, makes him forget to breathe and makes his heart beat like a bird in his chest. It isn't that Edward has never touched him, but he rarely does without reason. And almost never skin to skin as he does now.

Although he must have when he found and took in the wounded bird on his doorstep. But Oswald tries not to think about that. He looks up.

Edward does not meet his eyes, he concentrates on guiding Oswald’s fingers in knotting the soft fabric under them. His mouth moves silently, likely repeating a lesson taught to children learning to knot their own tie.

“The rabbit bounded away with the fox snapping at his cottontail. Once around the tree, the fox chased the rabbit. Twice around the tree, they ran. Twice around the tree, they ran. The rabbit scooted under a bush, away from the fox. And the little rabbit got away! And dove right into the safety of his cool, dark hole.” *

Edward finishes the children's song and completes the knot. He directs Oswald’s fingers to tighten the knot at his neck. Oswald’s knuckles brush against his bared throat. Edward drops his hands and watches him, waiting.

Though there is no open challenge in the man's calm dark eyes, no hostility, Oswald once again senses that he has been given a quiz by his strange companion. Oswald tightens the knot a fraction more, he feels Edward's sharp intake of breath under his fingers, and straightens the tie.

Edward grants him one of his enigmatic smiles. And Oswald knows he has passed whatever test he had been given, or perhaps it was all part of the same ongoing quiz. He wonders what will happen if he were to fail.

He does not fear his odd partner but he cannot deny there is something in him that speaks of danger. It is that which first drew them together.

“Perfect.” Oswald smooths down the tie, keeping his hand on Edward's chest. When he had spotted the green fabric at his tailor, he knew it would suit Ed perfectly. He finds himself unable to look away from his associate, he leans towards him without meaning to.

No, it is not fear that draws him closer to the other man. It is want. Oswald wants something of Edward, but what he wants he does not know. He feels something like violence surge through his frame. But he knows he does not want to kill the man.

Never that.

Oswald allows himself to picture it. It would be easy to strangle Edward with the tie he had purchased for him, to tug his head down and violently slam their mouths together. Oswald blinks slowly. Is that what he wants? He has never wanted to kiss someone before. Kill yes. Kiss no.

It would be much simpler to just kill him and be done with it.

Oswald steps back and picks up the custom suit jacket in a darker shade of green than the tie, so dark almost black. He assists Edward into the jacket as the other man has done so many times for him. He spreads his hands across the other man's back.

Oswald takes a moment to appreciate the cut of the suit. The jacket highlights Edward's broad shoulders and the tapered back usually hidden by the cheap suits his aide wears. His eyes travel downward on their own. Only to admire the fine work of the tailor of course.

Edward turns around, tugs the sleeves down his wrists. “You should not have spent so much money, Mister Mayor. I could never pay you back.”

Oswald quickly looks up. Edward might say that but he can tell the man is pleased with the gift. His pride is at war with his vanity. And Ed is vain.

“Nonsense,” Oswald leans on his cane and waves away Ed’s protest. “I can hardly have my second in command dressed in tattered rags when on official duty. It would reflect badly on the mayor.” Oswald chuckles. “Anyway, if you truly worry about paying me back, I can always give you a raise.”

His words causes Edward to flinch and his dark gaze hardens for a moment, but it is gone quickly enough to make Oswald wonder if he had really seen it. “That would be unnecessary, Mister Mayor.” He appears meek, but Oswald knows Ed is anything except meek.

The former forensics officer may have had the entire GCPD fooled however he cannot fool the Penguin.

“I have told you, you do not need to be so formal in your address to me when we're alone, Edward.” Oswald smiles. “Please, call me Oswald.”

“As you wish,” Edward tilts his head, not quite a bow, “Oswald.”

Oswald has never considered the sound of his name to be pleasant. It is an ugly name. An ugly name for an ugly stunted thing such as himself. But coming from Edward's lips it is a word of power.

And power has its own beauty.

“Edward, you should never have to grovel to anyone again,” Oswald takes his arm. “I do not require you to grovel at my feet but to stand at my side as an equal partner. And to sit at my right hand during dull state dinners.”

Partner. If Oswald did friendship he might consider this man a friend. But the Penguin did not have friends. He could not allow it.

“Are you sure that's a good idea? Might I not embarrass you?”

There have been many persons Oswald has wanted to kill but at that moment he has never wanted to kill anyone more than the ones who made this man believe he was less than he was. He wanted to make them all suffer.

“You were not the one that threatened to slit the Lady Gray’s old wrinkled neck with a butter knife, Edward.” Oswald chuckles. “I need you beside me to remove the knives from my hand when I forget myself.”

“She disrespected you, M- Oswald. She would have deserved it. But there were too many witnesses. Otherwise I would have helped you and disposed of the body.”

Oswald smiles remembering how Edward had only needed the weapon of his tongue and wit to put the old biddy in her place.

“And that is why you are such an invaluable asset to me, Edward. Your cold intellect tempers my hot anger. We make the perfect team.”

“I… I have never been a part of a team,” Edward stammers. “Always the one left over, the last one chosen.”

“And I was ever the freak boy forced to sit on the side and watch while the other children played because of my twisted legs.” Oswald smiles at Edward. “But the two of us together will teach them to respect the freaks.”

“You are not a freak, Oswald.”

“I have denied that title my entire life, Edward.” Oswald tells Edward. “One of my earliest memories is of a gentleman offering my mother one thousand dollars to purchase me for his freakshow. He made promises of fame as the Penguin Boy. I am ashamed to admit to you Edward his offer held great temptation for my young self. Even at that age money and fame equaled power, although I did not yet understand. If not for my mother I may have very well left with that man.” Oswald chuckles. “If you believe my temper is terrible, you should have witnessed my mother's that day.”

“Did she… kill him?” Edward asks with wonder.

“Of course not, my mother was a lady, although he may have wished she had.” Oswald chuckles. “She yelled kidnapper and molester until she caught the attention of a wandering constable who did not take kindly to a foreigner attempting to abduct one of his citizens on his turf, even a child as funny as myself. The officer was one of the self-righteous bullies types that Gotham P.D. breeds so well. As I am sure you are more than familiar with. He saw himself as the blue knight in defense of the beautiful damsel in distress and her innocent boy against the villainous child eating ogre, no doubt.

“There is nothing more dangerous than a man who believes himself good. And no man easier to manipulate. My mother played the officer like a grand piano under her fingertips.” Oswald giggles. “I heard the would be kidnapper was read his rights bedbound and handcuffed in Gotham Hospital.”

“I can see where you got your cunning mind from,” Edward says. “You miss her.”

“I do.” Oswald nods his head. “The entire of my life she was all I've ever known. But the older I became the more I pushed her away. She held me back, I believed, and I resented her for it. I looked down at her simple mind. I dreamed of my father, he would be more like me I thought, and take me under his wing, he would teach me about the world which I belonged. But I realize now that I was never my father's son, could never be his son.

“Being her son is all I've ever known. Now she's gone. And I failed her. I was not a good son. She deserved better than I gave her.”

Oswald blinks away tears. He will not cry in front of Edward. He cannot show weakness, even to someone he may consider almost a friend.

“Oswald, look at all you've accomplished.” Edward forces Oswald to look at himself in the mirror in front of them. “The mayor of Gotham. I would say any mother would be proud to have such a son.”

Oswald does not like to look upon his reflection. Others believe him to be vain in his dress, he knows. But nice clothes distracts from his gross appearance, or so he believes. He looks over his shoulder in the mirror instead at the taller man behind him. And the look he sees on the other's face catches him by surprise.

Edward is proud of him.

“What of your parents? Are you close to them?” Perhaps he should not have asked. But Edward has never mentioned family and Oswald is curious.

“There are no Mr and Mrs Nygma, if that’s what you’re asking.” Edward gives an odd smile, shrugs. “I have always only known how to hold my own.”

Oswald had not even realized how lonely he has become. But he recognizes the same loneliness in Edward.

“I want to hold you too.” Oswald blushes. “That is, you are not on your own anymore. You have me now, Edward.”

“And you I, Oswald.” Ed smiles and touches Oswald’s hand. “What costs nothing but is worth everything? Weighs nothing. But can last a lifetime. That one person can’t own. But at least two can share? For fellows and bossoms.” *

The answer quickly comes to Oswald. “Friendship.” He smiles back.

For the first time since losing his mother Oswald does not feel alone. He grabs Ed’s hand. His friend. Oswald never wanted this feeling to end.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I may have used the head canon that Oswald is lonely and finds a friend in Edward but I DO NOT agree with the theory that because of this he mistakes friendship for love. Oswald fell in love with Edward. It’s canon. Period. 
> 
> Also, neither the tie song nor riddle are my own, both were taken by a simple google search. Although, I did add the last part because the answer was too close to love imo.
> 
> The title and inspiration for this fic (and one or two lines of dialogue) is All I’ve Ever Known from the musical Hadestown. It’s a beautiful little song that fits Nygmobblepot well I thought.
> 
> Last note - yes, Edward gave a hint (that Oswald totally missed) that his last name isn’t really Nygma. I like this theory.


End file.
